Sports Spectrum Daily Devotional: Friday, September 20, 2019

 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” — Philippians 4:8

Right Thinking

I was helping coach a youth soccer team, and we were practicing passing. We were talking about the importance of the mind in both making and receiving a pass. “Your foot can only do what your mind tells it to do,” I said in my best coaching voice.

The connection between the practical game and spiritual applications became amazingly clear to me. How can we be doing the things God wants us to if we aren’t thinking about them? How can we be doing good and serving others and being examples of the love of Christ if we are consumed with thinking selfish, impure thoughts?

Also, thinking about where to pass the ball happens before we even have the ball in our possession. We have to be intentional about passing. We envision passing the ball to another player, benefiting the team, so we do it because we have already made our minds up to do it.

Most of the time, doing what is good and right does not happen on the spur of the moment. We are called to “love one another as I have loved you;” living in that manner has to be done on purpose. There has to be forethought given to our actions that are to benefit “God’s team.”

Tommy Young

If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.

Click here for all Sports Spectrum Daily Devotionals

>> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more devotionals and stories where sports and faith connect <<